Future Of Religion

[SunNSand4me]

Can anyone share links to data about the probable future of major religions worldwide? I'm looking for number forecasts based on current and recent trends (100 years).

[JGJ@ReligionisBullshit]

Can anyone share links to data about the probable future of major religions worldwide? I'm looking for number forecasts based on current and recent trends (100 years).

 

http://www.religioustolerance.org/worldrel.htm is based upon Barrett's World Christian Encyclopedia which is the same source used for the Encyclopedia Brittanica.

 

It should also be noted that although the Christian Religion is the largest group, actual practice is below Islam. In other words, more people attend Friday's service at a mosque than people who attend Sunday service at a church. Christians like to use "we are the largest religion, so we cannot be wrong" however, they are only 32% of the world's population, so by their own logic they are wrong since 68% of the world's population disagree. This data is from 2000 and so a lot can happen in the 6 years since it was collected. My suggestion is to wait until 2010 until forming an opinion on trends.

 

"The percentage of Christians in the world peaked at about 30 % in the 1980s, leveled off, is now declining, and will probably approximate to about 25% of the world's population by 2025. As a result of their extremely high rates of population growth, the proportion of Muslims in the world will continue to increase dramatically, amounting to 20 percent of the world's population about the turn of the century, surpassing the number of Christians some years later, and probably accounting for about 30 percent of the world's population by 2025."

 

Another consideration is the huge baby-boom population where many Christians reside. One would need to consider the average age of a Christian and that data just isn't available, as far as I can tell.

[SunNSand4me]

As a result of their extremely high rates of population growth, the proportion of Muslims in the world will continue to increase dramatically, amounting to 20 percent of the world's population about the turn of the century, surpassing the number of Christians some years later, and probably accounting for about 30 percent of the world's population by 2025."

 

That's some scary shit! Any growth of non-tolerance (aka religion) is scary shit. I read on another site that atheism doubled in the US over the past ten years from 7 to 14 %.

 

Thanks for the link.

[♦ ficino ♦]

If the Muslim world population attains higher levels of affluence, their birth rate will go down. Always happens.

 

Right now it's looking as though this is still a pretty big "if."

[Guest Emerson]

I don't know, history has shown us that people have always needed religion or considered it important.

I think people will still believe in the same religions and probably be making up new ones as the decades and centuries go by. Some people think that religions like christianity will die out, but they haven't and it hasn't so I think it will just continue.

[Ex-COG]

You can get stats for the USA at Largest Religious Groups in the USA. This entire website is great for all sorts of info; here's the home page.

[spamandham]

A few hundred years ago, the Age of Reason was just starting to dawn. People like Thomas Paine forsaw the end of religion just around the corner. He was wrong. As much as I wish it otherwise, I believe religion will continue to dominate human affairs basically forever unless those of us in the 7-14% become more vocal and actively try to deconvert people.

 

Even if we succeed in eliminating religious thinking, it will return quickly without vigilance. Without a bit of help from evolution, we are doomed. The type of irrational dogmatic thinking that leads to religion is even starting to find its way even into the sciences.

[BlueGiant]

An asside:

 

With the US's largest religions page and study, I noted that it seems like most of the percent changes (in fact Judiaism appeared to be the only decreasing one listed on the lists) were positive. I just have to ask: Where the hell are the enw adherents coming from, if everyone is showing an increase of their "market share"?

 

As for what religion looks like in 100 years, Maybe more disorganized religion, but otherwise, it will probably look similar to today's picture, overall.